Selling your car - negotiation skills

29/12/11

To sell a used car, you need to be prepared and think of what you are going to say before meeting buyers. There’s no room for mistakes and negotiation can be like art. There are techniques to follow to get the most of it but you are the only element that can make it succeed in your favour. Voice, body language, everything has to be ready to face your potential buyer.

Prepare your speech and your proposal but stay natural - there’s nothing worse than a speech that seems unnatural and recited. The person came to see the car but the contact is important and making a good impression is a first step that will lead you to selling your car.

Speak slowly, in a clear way. You have to believe in what you are saying and selling. The potential buyer will think that you are confident and will trust your speech. Make your sentences short so that you don’t add a word by mistake. The buyer would find it suspicious if you say too much without leaving him some room for his questions.

Do not propose a price before explaining your arguments. If you start by mentioning the price without explaining the state of the car, its age and other features, you might lose the buyer who came to discuss the car, how it works etc and once he has all he needs to know, the time will be right to discuss the price.

The best way to present your arguments is to detail them one by one. Start by mentioning the easier details. If you had an accident with this car, don’t start with that! General statements about your car are a good introduction. Then go more into details when it is time. Let the potential buyer speak. It is an exchange more than a presentation. Plus, he will probably ask you about something you forgot to mention before and it can help you lead the discussion towards a sale.

Don’t panic if you hear a tricky question you weren’t expecting. Stay calm at all times and trust in what you are selling. There is no negotiation that goes according to plan but these first tips on communicating properly will help you making a good impression and later on, selling your car.